Grand time for all at Williamsburg Fall Harvest Festival

It seems to be a tradition that every year on the weekend of the annual Williamsburg Fall Harvest Festival it always threatens to rain. This year, September 23-24, the weather again looked stormy, but, just in time, the rain held off and the fun of the Harvest Festival carried on. Just as always.

The 2011 Williamsburg Festival held throughout the weekend definitely offered up plenty for visitors of all ages to do and to enjoy starting with a hearty breakfast and ending with a barbecue dinner just before the dance at Matilda Hall.

New to this year’s fair was the ATV group ride organized by Tim Garlough. “This proved to pretty popular,” Garlough said. “We had 54 vehicles registered and about 75 people out to ride them. The route was all back country for 75 kilometres.”

Also very popular were the petting zoo, the flea markets, area vendors, rides and games and the arts and crafts show and sale at the J.W. MacIntosh Seniors’ Support Centre. There were plenty of prizes, courtesy of local businesses and individuals, for largest vegetables, best pies, carved pumpkins, decorated homes and amateur photography.

At noon, the annual Harvest parade began, led by the Firefighters and their mascot, Sparky. Riders on horseback, antique cars (and the Jensen 2011 harvester), floats and kids in costumes were enjoyed by the crowd. Music and some fancy baton work came courtesy of Studio C Dance. The 235 Air Cadets from Cornwall made their musical debut during the parade.

David Lapier, member of the Williamsburg Community Association, the volunteers who plan the festival, stressed that the Harvest tradition continues due to the great generosity of area businesses and the tireless work of local helpers.

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South Dundas council approved an application form for the South Branch Community Fund.

The form will be filled out by those seeking funds from the $30,000 per year, 20 year fund which was established by EDP Renewables, as part of the South Branch Wind Farm project.

Eligible projects must be located within the established wind farm boundaries.

Funding decisions will ultimately lie with South Dundas council, as administrator of the fund, with larger contributions needing EDP approval.

Although council approved the application form drafted by their manager of recreation programming, they expressed a desire to form a committee of area residents to help in the decision making process.

“It is a community fund and we want community input,” said South Dundas mayor Evonne Delegarde.

Councillor Archie Mellan suggested that they look to such a committee for a larger scale vision for the area to ensure that these significant funds are put to good use. South Dundas staff will draft terms of reference to seek interest for such a committee.

“The services of the militia of Dundas County and sister counties deserve an honoured place in history, and in no better way can we cherish the memory of those fellows than by paying tribute to the spot on which they fought and bled for their country,” wrote J. Smyth Carter in 1905.

Bill Shearing referenced this quote during his proposal to South Dundas council on December 20th where he recommended that council erect four signs along County Road 2 recognizing specific historical events connected to the War of 1812.

“Our township has much forgotten history,” he said, “especially with the War of 1812.”

While council agreed with Shearing’s reasoning and historical documentation, they decided that Shearing needed to do more research into possible funding for the signs as well as options for sign construction and design.

Councillor Evonne Delegarde was very supportive. “I think that would be nice to have,” she said, reminding council that “it’s going to be a great year for tourism.”

“I pretty much believe the blues chose me,” said Doug MacLeod, in his slightly drawling, mellow voice, at the outset of an interview with the Morrisburg Leader. “To sing the blues, you’ve got to be singing from the heart.”

MacLeod, who is reckoned one of the finest blues singer-songwriters in North America, is coming to Morrisburg for a one night only concert on Friday, November 11. Blues by the Lakeshore will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the United Church of Morrisburg.

From California MacLeod shared insights into his life and music and why, for over 28 years, he’s been a blues man.

Born in New York City, MacLeod grew up in the 60’s.

“I had a turbulent childhood,” he laughed, “and the result was I had a big chip on my shoulder. Then my family took a trip to St. Louis, and I heard people singing the blues for the first time. I was stunned. I couldn’t believe the sheer joy those singers had.”

Blues has its roots in the black experience of the American South.

From the outset, MacLeod found himself drawn to these black musicians who, despite facing widespread prejudice (so much part of the 60’s scene) and often all the drawbacks of poverty, none-the-less expressed themselves in rich and soulful music.

“I thought to myself, I want to be around this joy,” MacLeod said.

He began to play and to sing with some of these Old Masters, gradually absorbing their culture, and living their lives, making the blues his own.

“What I learned is singing the blues really means making a negative life positive. Maybe you don’t have control over every thing that happens to you in life, but you can survive. I find that I am comfortable with this music. It speaks to my soul. And,” MacLeod added, laughing, “you gotta be what you are, not what you ain’t.”

A born story teller, whose warm and witty songs reflect his own experiences and his out look on life, MacLeod has been given the title Master of Original Acoustic Blues. He’s played gigs with some of the greatest blues men, performers like Big Joe Turner, George Smith, Pee Wee Crayton, and Joe Louis Walker.

MacLeod’s songs have been featured in TV movies and on the show In the Heat of the Night. Two of his songs are on Grammy nominated albums by Albert King and Albert Collins.

He hosted Nothin’ But the Blues on Los Angeles’ KLON-KKJZ radio for five years and is a noted authority on finger style acoustic guitar.

MacLeod has released 18 studio albums, several live records and a live performance DVD. During his Morrisburg concert he will be performing some numbers from his March 2011 release, Brand New Eyes.

MacLeod said that his blues inspirations are definitely varied and often anchored in his own experiences.

“I’m honest about my life and honest in my music when I sing about love and hard times,” he explained.

“Truth be told, although I have a wonderful life now and I’ve been happily married for years, let’s just say there’s a lot of girls out there in my past who may not have a lot of kind things to say about me,” he laughed. “Ernest Banks once told me never write or sing about what you don’t know about.”

He hasn’t ignored so-called ‘issues’: he penned the Outspoken Politician Blues and he’s written about lies and liars. However, blues, MacLeod said, “make a mighty big canvas. You can write love songs, sad songs, protest songs. I think Willie Dixon put it this way, ‘blues is the true facts of life.’”

Doug MacLeod will be performing solo during his Morrisburg concert. While he has worked with bands, especially in his first four albums, he admits that he is more comfortable performing alone.

“I often change my songs somewhat from performance to performance. The way I sing a song on Friday isn’t exactly the way I sing it on Saturday. It can drive a band crazy when you do that: they don’t know where you’re going to start or go.”

Audiences attending Doug MacLeod’s concert on November 11, at The United Church of Morrisburg, can look forward to a memorable evening with a colourful, multi-talented and charming musician.

“I love telling stories around my songs. I tell stories from my life, some poignant, some humorous, all true. When I sing, I invite the audience into the song. I invite them to become part of the music.”

Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. concert are on sale for $25 each at the Basket Case in Morrisburg, by calling 613-887-9210, or by booking online at www.troubadourstudio.ca.